Ali's Tale
by Quiet Avarice
Summary: Not the typical Alice. She’s not some little Lolita Goth or a perfectly innocent little babydoll. She’s just some one who fell down a rabbit hole when she was young and now likes to return to the world she found beyond it. Rated for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Ali smiled as she saw the Rabbit flash across the road, holding on to his white top hat, his ears twitching urgently as he muttered to himself. No one else ever seemed to see him, no one other then her. That worried Ali some times; she kept warning him to watch himself when he crossed the road, lest he'd get run over one day. But, of course, he didn't listen.

Something glinted on the grass next to the road, catching the sunlight as well as Ali's eye.

It was the Rabbit's pocket watch.

Ali picked it up, a small smile playing on her lips.

Usually she visited all of her friends in Wonderland at least once a week, on the weekends, but sometimes, she was unable to. This past two weeks had been one such occurrence.

She had had a huge amount of work to get done for school, she had barely even gotten any sleep this week, and she dearly missed seeing her friends. So, tucking the watch into her pocket, she walked home, her mind filled with thoughts of Wonderland.

When she reached her house, she quickly made herself a snack and ran upstairs; packing the things she would need for her trip.

Time passed oddly in Wonderland. One could be there for months and return home to find that they had only been gone for a few hours, so Ali knew she wouldn't be missed.

After she fed her cat, Dinah, and gave her a good scratch behind the ears, she left, but not before taking something she knew a certain feline friend of hers' would surely enjoy.

Cheshire watched Ali as she entered the woods, the dappled sunlight, swiftly fading into evening, playing on her long, straw-berry blonde hair. She had been gone for a while now, far longer then usual.

Cheshire didn't like it.

He wished that he could convince her to stay with him in Wonderland indefinitely, but knew that she couldn't, and wouldn't, do such a thing. At least not any time soon.

Ali was so dear to him, as to all, but mostly to him. Not that she knew it, though. Never in any of their long, strange talks, had they broached upon the subject of his feelings toward her.

He had never alerted her to his true feelings for her.

Maybe he should do so now….

QA-I would like to say that the drabble that goes a long with this story does not really give away the actual ending to the story, it gives away a possible ending.

Sorry this chapter is so short, the next one will be longer, I promise!

Review please!

I thrive on feedback.


	2. Chapter 2

QA-Chappy two, YAY!!

Ali smiled as she looked around the woods that were so familiar to her and always seemed different at the same time. That was the way it was with Wonderland. Some times things were so exactly the same that it was frightening. But never was Ali scared in Wonderland.

Nervous, yes.

Scared, no.

She headed off towards the Rabbit's house, doubting that he would be there when she arrived.

"The quick little Rabbit has scampered off to see his be-hearted Queen, hurrying lest he be be-headed."

Ali squeaked and jumped, whirling around to face Cheshire-or half of him, any way, as everything from the waist down was missing. Her blue-grey eyes met his bright yellow slitted ones.

"Dude! Chesh, don't do that! Ya scared the crap outta me!" Ali said with a happy smile.

Cheshire only grinned at her, floating in front of her.

"Hun, can you pull yourself together, please?"

"Mmmmmmmm, why?" He murred in a slightly bored tone.

"Because it is horribly disconcerting to only speak to half of you." Ali told him simply, crossing her arms in a manner that was slightly reminiscent of a school teacher.

He blinked and laughed, his top half finding his bottom half and connecting with it.

She smiled at him, a little surprised that he had actually done as she asked.

"I have a present for you." She said, reaching into her messenger bag.

"Ooh, a present, give, give!" He purred, his eyes shining with anticipation.

She giggled at him and pulled out a light blue pillow, about as big as a marble note book, stuffed with cotton and catnip.

Cheshire grinned and took it from her, pulling her into a tight hug, nuzzling her neck in gratitude.

"Stop it! That tickles!" Ali cried, giggling.

"Good." He purred, nuzzling her again before pulling away from her.

Ali glanced around quickly and realized that she wasn't in the same place; she was no longer in the woods.

She was in a cozy cave; it was where Cheshire lived when ever he wasn't at the Duchess's house. She had been here a few times before, under some what similar circumstances.

"It was getting late; I couldn't leave you out in the woods alone after it got dark." Cheshire explained off handedly, plopping down on a pile of cushions, examining the pillow.

Ali rolled her eyes and sat down next to him, knowing that in just a few moments, Cheshire would become even more goofy and strange then usual. But, as it always was in Wonderland, the expected did not happen. Instead, Cheshire put the pillow off to the side and looked at her.

"What?"

"You've been gone for a long time. What happened, did you forget about all of us?" Cheshire asked, looking a little sad and worried, though still grinning.

"No, Cheshire, no. I could never forget you or any one else in Wonderland. I've just been busy, that's all. I tried to visit, I really did, but I was just so busy and tired…." Ali trailed off and

"I'm sorry."

He hugged her back with a soft smile, quickly turning into a grin. hugged him.

"So long as you don't forget about me, I'm fine. I wish you would stay here with me …..forever." He whispered the last part, burying his face in her hair.

She blushed but didn't let go of him.

"Chesh, you know that I can't."

"I know, but that doesn't stop me from hoping."

"So…um, how is everybody?" She asked at last, pulling away from him.

"Everyone is fine. Except….Hatta." It was obvious that Cheshire and Hatter didn't like one another. But, Ali cared for the Madman, so Cheshire never allowed their dislike of each other escalate to violence. Though there had been many, many close calls, and at least one fight that had happened many, years ago, before Ali had wandered into Wonderland.

The Cat and the Hatter had always hated each other, since the beginning of time, it seemed. Or perhaps not.

"Why, what's happened?" Ali asked, immediately worried.

Despite his….misgivings, she cared for the Mad Hatter a great deal, but she knew he was dangerous.

He was not stable. Well, no one in Wonderland was really sane, but few of them had violent tendencies like Hatta did. More then once, some of the Queen's soldiers had gone missing, as had Hatta, for a few days, but the soldiers, unlike Hatta, never came back. And when Hatta _did _come back, he was usually bloodstained and crying, so there was little mystery as too what happened to the soldiers. Sometime, something would happen that would cause him to just snap and he'd go into a fit of anger, sometimes going into actual violence. Ali had been there on a few such occasions, and didn't wish for it to happen again.

She and Hare both cared for him deeply, and neither of them liked it when Hatta was upset. If he ever did anything, was ever violent, he would always feel guilt and sometimes he would break down and cry. She hated to see him cry, it broke her heart.

"He's been in one of his moods again."

Ali was silent, and Cheshire pulled her back into his arms.

"I tried to visit, I really did. But I just had so much work to do and I was just so tired. I should have come anyway. Or at least said that I wouldn't be able to come for a while…"

"Don't." Cheshire hissed quietly, warning her.

She looked up at him, surprised by the intensity in his voice.

"Don't you dare blame yourself for anything that bastard does." He growled viciously, grabbing her by her arms and pulling her back roughly, looking down at her, his eyes boring into hers.

Ali winced as his claws dug into the soft skin of her upper arms. "Cheshire, you're hurting me." She whispered, looking at him pleadingly.

He blinked and the manic gleam vanished from his eyes. He pulled her close again and nuzzled her hair.

"We've all missed you." He murred, his ears twitching. He curled his tail around her waist, cuddling against her.

"I'm sorry." She murmured again, feeling more guilty then she had before because she recognized the grin Cheshire was giving her, the one she only saw when he was upset.

And it didn't pass unnoticed that he was being sensible for once, something that only happened when he was upset about something.

QA-I like the idea of Cheshire only making sense when he's upset about something. It's the opposite of normal people, who never make much sense any way, in my experience.

Please review, I like to know what I'm doing.


	3. Chapter 3

QA-Some sexual content in this one, so skip the first bit if you aren't comfortable reading that sort of thing.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!

Ali was lieing on a pile of cushions, listening to her MCR CD while Cheshire got high on catnip.

She was half asleep, dozing peacefully.

Cheshire watched her with glazed eyes, his tail twitching restlessly. He moved slowly, pulling her shirt up and pressing his lips against her abdomen.

Her breath hitched and she sighed, squirmed slightly as his rough, sandpapery tongue slid over her skin.

He moved his hands under her shirt to gently grope her breasts, minding that his claws didn't cut her.

She let out a low moan and arched into his touch, clutching at the cushions beneath her.

He smirked and sucked gently at her skin, moving lower to swirl his tongue inside her naval.

"Che-Cheshire…." She moaned out, her eyes drifting open to stare down at him.

"Wh-what are you…." She whispered, her mind not quite comprehending the situation.

"Mmmmm, nuthin'. " He purred, nipping gently at her stomach, squeezing her breasts again, harder this time.

She cried out softly, throwing her head back.

He smirked against her skin, closing his eyes and listening to the sounds she made.

"Chesh-ire.."

Gods, he loved the way she sounded when she his name like that.

"Cheshire, s-stop. I don't-I don't want this. Not now, not like this. Please, stop." Her protests were quiet and weak, wispy at best.

"Mmmm, but _why_? I know you're enjoying this."

"Because your stoned. If you're going to fuck me, you'll do it sober. And, I just….don't feel ready to do _it _yet."

She sounded….upset. Was she crying?

Cheshire looked up at her and saw tears glistening in her pleading eyes. He pouted and gave her stomach one final nip before moving off of her.

She quickly yanked her shirt down and tried to sit up, but found herself more or less pinned to the ground as Cheshire wrapped his arms around her and snuggled into her.

"What about this? Is this okay?" He asked oh-so innocently, more or less burying his face in her chest.

"Erm….not really. But I'll live, I suppose." She muttered, blushing a dark crimson as she nervously wrapped her arms around his neck.

Cheshire giggled, his ears twitching contently.

Hatta sat at the table, staring into his brandy laced tea. His dark, blue-black hair fell over his face, hiding his amethyst eyes from view.

He was dressed immaculately in his dark green suit and tie, his matching top hat slightly askew on his head. There was an air of sadness around him today, for he was missing some one terribly.

It had been fifteen days, two hours, forty five minutes, twelve seconds, since he had last seen his beloved Ali. Which is a considerable amount of time if you don't have a working watching to tell time with.

Oh, how he loved Ali. Since the first time she had walked through that gate, so many years ago, he had cared for her. It was only later that that care had developed into love.

"Hatterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, I'm borrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrred." Hare drawled, her messy brown hair falling into her eyes as she rested her head on her crossed arms in front of her. Her brown ears twitched back and forth, her whiskered nose twitching absently. She was almost the exact opposite of her companion in dress appearance. Where he was immaculately groomed, she was disheveled and messy, always seeming to look as if she'd slept in what ever clothing she was wearing. Today, that clothing was a light purple, lacy night gown, adorned with the ugliest green floral print that Hatta had ever seen, but that was okay. It was the way Hare was.

Suddenly, she gave him a goofy, drunken smile and stood up, dancing over to his chair and collapsing onto the ground next to him and laying her head on his leg and closing her eyes.

"Hatterrrrrrr, tell me a storrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry."

He smiled fondly down at her, and reached down and began to play with her hair.

"Oh, but I'm no good at telling stories, that's what dormouse does."

"Sooooooooooooo? I like to hear you taaaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllk." She said, scrunching her eyes and rubbing her face against his leg.

Hatta chuckled, his eyes glinting.

She trusted him so readily, even though she knew, in her own mad way, how dangerous he was.

Maybe that was why his Alice had left him. Maybe she knew he was dangerous and decided that he wasn't worth the risk.

Was that it?

It was quite possible, he was quite dangerous, after all.

If that was the case, then why did Hare trust him so much?

He could kill her so easily if he wanted to. It would be only to simple, all he would have to do is wrap his hands around her thin neck and squeeze. She wouldn't realize what was going on until it was to late, she would think that he was playing, she would never realize that he-

"Tell the girl a story, Hat." The Dormouse said sleepily from his teapot, interrupting Hatta's murderous thoughts.

"Yeah, Hat, tell us a story."

That voice…

He turned in his seat, his amethyst eyes catching sight of blue.

Ali….

She had come back….

"Aliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" Hare yelled, jumping up and bounding over to the other girl and hugging her fiercely.

"You're drunk, aren't you Hare?" Ali said, laughing as she hugged Hare back, just as enthusiastically.

"Mmmmmm, maybe." She drawled, hooking an arm through Ali's and pulling her over to the table.

"Hey, Hatta."

"Hey, Ali."

He felt like crying. She was back, she hadn't left him.

Hare sat so Ali was sitting in the chair between her and Hatter, grabbing a tea cup and messily pouring Ali a cup.

"Teaaaaaaa?"

"What else is in it?" Ali asked with a grin.

"Brandy." Hatta said pouring some of the alcohol into the cup from a bottle that Ali was sure hadn't been on the table a minute ago.

"Hmmm, well, I've never had _that_ before." She muttered, rolling her eyes a bit.

"It'sssss wonderfullllllllllllllllll." Hare said, pouring herself a cup and drinking all of it in a single gulp.

"If you say so."

Ali turned to Hatta, her smile fading.

"Hatter, I'm sorry that I haven't visited and that it took me so long to come back. I've just been so busy and tired, I just couldn't find any time to….I should have tried harder to….I'm sorry." She finished, looking down.

"Sorry? For what? I'm just glad that you're here. We've missed you."

"R-really? So, you're not angry?"

"Angry? I could never be angry with you, Ali."

She smiled, jumping up and hugging him, knocking the top hat from him head.

He laughed and hugged her back, just glad that she was there with him.

"Group hug!" Hare squealed, hugging them both.

Ali laughed, burying her face in Hatter's neck.

"This is all very touching, but I have to tell you, Ali is the only one here who isn't drunk." Dormouse said, once again stopping Hatter from doing something that he might regret.

Dormouse was perceptive to a fault. He had seen the look in Hatta's eyes when he had smelled Ali's scent.

Instead of calming him as it usually did, it angered him.

He could smell that filthy cat on his beloved Ali, polluting her purity.

Hatta couldn't stand the thought of that bastard feline touching her; it sickened him and was enough to send him into one of his fits. He would have gone into one if Dormouse hadn't stopped him.

"Dormouse is absolutely right. I am the only one here who isn't drunk and I plan to stay that way. So, tea please, and hold the booze."

Meh, sorry if it's short.

I will admit, I was a bit high when I wrote this.


	4. Chapter 4

QA-Thankies to everyone who has reviwed my story and sorry that it has taken so long for me to update.  
Girly hasn't really had much free time.

Ali stayed with Hatta and Hare and Dormouse for most of the day. She enjoyed the time she spent with them, despite the fact that Hatta and Hare were both horribly drunk, and that Dormouse was usually asleep.

In the end, Hare passed out, soon followed by Hatta, leaving Ali as the only one conscious.

Ali sighed and maneuvered Hare so she was sitting a certain way so if she got sick, she wouldn't drown in it.

Hatta was fine the way he was, she decided after a moment's thinking on the subject.

"He needs you."

Ali blinked and looked at Dormouse, sitting in his teapot in the middle of the table.

"What do you mean?"

"He needs you. Too help keep him sane, or at least sane enough not to hurt people. Whenever you're not in Wonderland for a long time, he starts with one of his moods again. He get's quieter, he drinks more, sleeps less, eats less. It was hard for him, this time. He started to convince himself that that you had left and wouldn't come back again. He thought it was because of him. He thought it was because he had scared you away you off. Hater tells me things, when you're not here and Hare has passed out. What he's done, what he's afraid he'll do, but most of all, he talks about you. One time, he called you his 'innocence'. He didn't elaborate. I don't know what he meant, but I think he was trying to say that as long as you were around, he could be good. As long as you were safe and happy and near him, he knew he wouldn't have to worry about hurting any one because he had you."

Ali was silent. What could she say to that? She sat heavily in her chair, pushing her hair out of her face.

"I didn't know that….I meant so much to him."

She murmured, looking at the sleeping Hatter.

He looked so innocent and harmless when he was asleep. A few strands of his dark hair fell in front of his face, his lips curled into a small smile at what ever he was dreaming.

His top hat was still on the ground next to him from when it had fallen when she had hugged him. He had taken his jacket off and hung it on the back of his chair, the first few buttons of his shirt where undone and his tie was loosened.

"Well, now you do. It's something you should remember." And with that, the Dormouse went back into his teapot, presumably going to sleep.

Ali sat there in silence, with nothing but her thoughts for company.

It was quite a while before Hatta woke up again, but that didn't stop the migraine that roared at his temples. He groaned quietly, pressing a hand against his eyes.

"Here, swallow this." A pill was pressed into his hand.

He put it in his mouth and didn't protest when a glass of water was tilted against his lips to help him swallow the medicine.

"Al-Alice?" He whimpered slightly, still not opening his eyes.

"Yeah, what is it, hon?" She asked him quietly, her voice soft and caring.

"Can I….Can I hold you?" It was something that he had never asked of her before.

There was a moment of silence. Would she reject him? Would she slap him and tell him she thought him a monster and unworthy of an embrace?

Then she murmured a quiet "okay" and let him pull her into his lap.

She curled against him, there was more then enough room for her in the big arm chair.

He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him.

"Thank you." He whispered, burying his face in her hair, breathing in her scent, this time untainted.

She didn't say anything and just relaxed in his arms.

They say there in silence for some time, just enjoying being so close to one another.

"Hatta?" Ali whispered, fiddling with a button on his shirt.

"Hm?"

"I just want you to know that I would never just leave and never come back. If I can't come back for a while, I'm sorry, but I'll always come back. I'll try to tell you if there is a reason that I won't be able to come back for a while if I can, but I can't make any promises. I want you to know, it was never because of you that I didn't come back, it was because I had a lot of work to do and because I was so tired. It will never be because of you that I don't visit. I care about you, Hat, you're one of my best friends. I never want you to feel like it's your fault for my not visiting. Okay? I don't ever want you to blame yourself for anything that I've done, or not done."

Hatta opened his eyes slowly and looked down at her, surprise etched on his features.

She smiled up at him. "You mean a lot to me, never forget that."

Hatta returned her smile slowly, and leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss on her lips.

"You mean a lot to me, too."

She sat there stunned for a moment, then started to say some thing, but stopped as Hare woke up and retched violently.

"Ughhh, I don't feel well."

Ali slipped off of Hatta's lap and went to go look after Hare, a light blush covering her cheeks.

Ali sighed as she walked, staring up at the sky as she listened to "Summer of 69" on her CD player.

She was just so damned confused!

First Cheshire had tried to have sex with her, and then Hatta had kissed her.

It was just too much for her to take in at once.

Which was why she was going to see Caterpillar.

The woman was easy to talk to and she usually gave pretty good advice when she chose to.

"Hey Caterpillar, you here?" She called as she approached the mushrooms.

"So loud." Was the answer she received.

She smiled as she climbed onto the top of the mushroom, using the smaller ones that surrounded it as steps.

The Caterpillar was lying there, on the cushions, like the hookah, always seemed to be there, whether she was or not. Her green-yellow skin shimmered slightly in the sunlight, looking softer then ever. Her long, black hair, hung around her bare shoulders, almost long enough to cover her breasts. Ali never understood how Caterpillar could lay there without any clothes on and never seem bothered about it.

"Caterpillar, I need your help, and emotional support, if you choose to provide it."

Caterpillar motioned lazily for her to sit on the mushroom next to her, blowing smoke tendrils into the air.

Ali did so with a sigh, politely declining the Caterpillar's offer of sharing whatever flavor of sheesha she was smoking.

"What do you do when one of your best friends gets stoned and tries to have sex with you, and then, not to long after, another one of your best friends kisses you and tells you that they care about you? And, I think that they were both, well, I don't want to say sincere, because it doesn't seem like the right word, but….I think that it was more then just a spontaneous thing, at least with Hatta. Cheshire, I think that it's something that he's wanted to do for a long time, and I don't just mean the physical act of sex.

"I'm just so damned confused! It's not something I've never expected from either of them. Okay, Cheshire wanting to have sex with me, that isn't that much of a surprise, he's always been a bit of a pervert, but…." She trailed off and sighed.

"I don't think that it was just motivated by sexual desire. I think he meant something by it, stoned or not. And Dormouse told me things about Hatta, things Hatta had told him, and some of it worries me, ya know? And, don't get me wrong, I care about both of them a great deal, but I don't know if I can handle this kind of stress. If they are both implying what I think that they are, then I don't think I could choose one an risk hurting the other. And I don't know how Hatter would take rejection. Am I even making any sense?"

Caterpillar gave her a crooked smile, "Some what. Do you love them?"

"Yes." It was an automatic answer, but true none the less. She did love them, both of them, and she knew it with every fiber of her being.

Then Caterpillar asked the question that Ali had been dreading since she had opened her mouth to speak.

"Who do you love more?"

Caterpillar was able to ask it so casually, lying there on the cushions.

It was a question that Ali was unable to answer.

She loved them both so much…..

"I love them both to much to answer that question."

Caterpillar pursed her lips in annoyance and blew a perfect smoke ring into the air.

"If you are going to pursue a relationship, you will have to choose. The Cat or the Hatter, _the Cat or the Hatter_? You will have to choose."

QA-Review, peeps!


	5. Chapter 5

QA-Sorry it's taken me such a very long time to update this

QA-Sorry it's taken me such a very long time to update this. I lost my flash drive and the note book the first draft of this is written.

Ali arrived at the Rabbit's house about the same time that he did.

"Alice, dear, it has been a while."

Ali smiled and hugged the white clad male, laughing happily.

Rabbit was so dear to her, he was like family.

He managed to stay on his feet some how, and hugged her back, laughing as well.

"I know, Rabbit, I did try to visit a few times, but I never did manage it. It's wonderful to see you again."

They went inside, talking happily, blissfully unaware of the yellow eyes watching them.

Ali didn't try to talk to the Rabbit about her little 'problem'. She was just happy to let him talk about what was going on with the Queen and everything else.

In turn, she told him about what was happening with her at school and at home and everything else.

It was a wonderful, lazy evening at Rabbit's house, in Ali's opinion.

Eventually, it got very late and Ali was quite tired, so she bid Rabbit goodnight and retired to her room, the one that she slept in when ever she was in Wonderland.

She took a shower and changed into her pajamas, a pair of black p.j. bottoms and a black tank top, and climbed into bed.

Sometime later, after Ali had fallen asleep, a dark figure climbed through her window, completely focused on her.

He couldn't help it, he just had to make sure that that cat wasn't anywhere near her.

Hatta stared down at her sleeping form, peace filling him.

He moved to stand next to the bed, reaching down to gently brush a strand of hair from her face.

"Leave me alone, mum; I've still got a bit before I have to go to school." She murmured, scrunching her face up and pulling the blanket over herself.

Hatta chuckled at her and her eyes snapped open.

"Mad, what are you doing here?" She asked, rubbing her eyes and sitting up.

"I wanted to see you." He said, sitting down on the bed next to her.

"Couldn't it've waited until after sunrise? Not that it's not great to see you or anything, but I'm tired. I need too sleep."

"That's one of the reasons I'm here." He said quietly, "I had to make sure you were alright. I had a nightmare and I couldn't sleep, please, let me stay with you for tonight. I won't try anything, I promise, but please, just don't make me leave." Hatta's voice had taken on a sort of panicked, almost manic, tone. He looked….scared.

"Okay, okay, you can stay!" She told him quickly, getting up on her knees to hug him warmly.

He returned her embrace gratefully, murmuring his gratitude into her hair.

When they separated, he quickly removed his boots and top hat, placing both on or beside the bed side table.

Ali scooted over and pulled the blankets aside, welcoming him into her bed in the most innocent of ways. After he climbed into the bed next to her, she pulled the blankets over both of them and let him pull her close to him.

"What scared you so badly?" She whispered, peering up at him in the darkness.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but talking about it might make you feel better."

"I….I dreamt that you died. I saw you, and Hare and Dormouse all die." He whispered. He didn't tell her that he had dreamt that he was the one doing it, or that he had also dreamt of killing Cheshire.

Se snuggled in closer, yawning. "Well, we're all okay. It was just a nightmare and I'm here with you."

He smiled and leaned down and kissed her, gently.

"Yes, just a dream."

Ali looked like she was about to say something, then she shook her head and closed her eyes, preparing to go to sleep once more.

"Hatta?"

They had lain in silence together for a long time, snuggled together in Ali's bed.

"Hatta, why did you kiss me yesterday?"

"I thought that would have been obvious." He said smiling, a light blush covering his cheeks.

"I need you to say it."

"I did it because, well, Ali, I love you."

Ali closed her eyes, biting her lip. Choosing her next words carefully. "Hatta, I love you too, but I….I'm confused right now, I can't have that kind of relationship with you, or..."

She felt Hatta stiffen against her, his body going rigid.

"But I want you to know, that no matter how long I'm away, and no matter what happens, I will always love you."

She waited with baited breath for how he would react.

Slowly, he relaxed, asking in a small, child like voice that broke Ali's heart "Promise?"

"Yeah," she murmured, kissing his cheek, "Promise."

"Alice, are you up yet?" Rabbit called as he began opening the door to her room.

The answer to his question was a loud squeak and growled curse.

Perplexed, he opened the door, and peaked into the room.

"Alice?"

He couldn't help but smile when he was Ali sitting next to Hatta in the bed, both of them under the covers.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt."

"I assure you, this is not what you think." Ali said, sounding flustered.

Rabbit raised an eyebrow, "Of course it isn't. Breakfast is ready, there's plenty if you want to stay, Hatter."

With out another word, he left, closing the door behind him.

"He'll never let me live this down."

Hatta did indeed stay for breakfast, but was promptly shooed away by Rabbit soon after. Rabbit told him that the Queen wanted to see Ali and she needed to get ready.

So, after promising Hatta that she would stop by later to see him and Hare, she went upstairs and changed.

What she changed into was a short black, lacy skirt, a red and black corset top, and a pair of black leather, high hilled boots that went up to her knees over her black fishnets.

"I hate dressing up and looking like this." Ali mumbled as she put on red eye shadow and dark red lipstick.

"Yes, well, it's what the Queen wants you to wear." The Rabbit said, fiddling with his pocket watch.

"The Queen is a whore." Ali muttered angrily.

The Rabbit gulped, looking at her with a distinct amount of fear.

"I mean that in a totally complimentary way, of course." Ali finished quickly.

Rabbit still frowned at her.

"Alice, about Hatter…"

She gave him a curios look, "What about him?"

Rabbit sighed and shook his head, "Just be careful."

She smiled and stood up, giving him a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Don't worry, I will be."

Rabbit smiled and hugged her back. "Just make sure you are. And watch out for that Cat as well, I don't trust him."

Ali only rolled her eyes at him.

He glanced at his watch and quickly shooed her out the door, panicking a little because he didn't want her to be late.

She laughed as she left, her mood unbelievably good, giving the current circumstances.

No sooner had the Rabbit's house been hidden from sight by the trees, Ali found herself pinned against a tree by none other then Cheshire himself.

He pressed his body against hers, trapping her between him and the tree behind her.

"Hey there, darlin', you look absolutely delicious. You really should dress like this more often." He purred, grinning, resting his hands on her waist as he leaned forward and nipped at her neck.

She shivered involuntarily and closed her eyes for a moment.

"Cheshire, please, don't…." It came out as a moan, quiet and pleading. Part of her really wanted him to continue, but another part knew they shouldn't.

"Mmm, you had a visitor last night." Cheshire murred, not acknowledging her plea as he suckled lightly at her skin.

Ali whimpered and closed her eyes again, clutching at the tree behind her.

"So, you love Hatta, huh? What about me?"

Was he crying? She thought she heard tears in his voice.

"Cheshire, I…."

He buried his face in her neck, pulling her close to him.

"What about me, huh? Don't you love me?" When he spoke, his voice was quiet and soft.

"I-Cheshire, of course I love you. I'm just so damned confused. I love you, I love him….I'm just so confused." She wrapped her arms around his neck, running her fingers through his violet and plum colored hair.

"Please, I can't tell you more then that.'

He looked up at her, his yellow eyes filled with emotions she couldn't name.

"I love you, Ali, truly and sincerely." He whispered, reaching up to touch her cheek with his clawed hand.

She had nothing to say to him, what could she say to him? So, they stood there, in the quiet of Wonderland forest in each others arms for a long time.

Until, "I'm supposed to be meeting the Queen."

"I know." He said, moving away from her and taking her hand.

"Are you sure you want to come? You know she doesn't like you very much." Ali asked as he pulled her down the path.

"So? I'm not afraid of that old hag."

"Alice, _dear_, it has been _such _a long time since I've seen you. And _just_ look at you. You look gorgeous." The Queen crooned as she ignored Cheshire, walking around Ali and examine her.

Ali resisted the urge to roll her eyes and curtsied, "Your Majesty is to kind. You yourself look radiant as usual. No, even _more_ radiant then usual." She added quickly, seeing the Queen's eyes flash.

The Queen did look good, but not in a good way. She was, as usual, dressed in tight, black leather that, in Ali's opinion, made her look like a dominatrix.

Cheshire snorted at Ali's comment and did very little to hide the fact that he thought so little of the Queen.

The Queen's pleasant smile vanished in an instant, replaced with a scowl that made her otherwise pretty face ugly.

"OFF WITH HIS HEAD!!" She shrieked, card soldiers moving forward instantly to do their creator's bidding.

"Oh, but Queeny, we've been over this already," Cheshire said grinning, "You can't behead some one if they have no neck."

His neck vanished and he winked at Ali and the rest of him began to vanish as well, his ears going last this time.

The Queen huffed and muttered to herself about hating Cats and motioned for Ali to walk with her.

"What is my Majesty's reason for wanting me here?" Ali inquired politely as they walked.

"Oh, I was thinking that we could play croquet, or some other…._game._" The look the Queen was giving Ali said very well what kind of game she had in mind.

"You see, it's been dreadfully _boring _around here lately."

Ali almost laughed.

Wonderland? Boring? That wasn't even possible.


	6. Chapter 6

Hatta stared dreamily into space, wondering when Ali would visit them and if Hare would be wearing something even more ghastly then the night gown when she returned.

Hare was so dear to him, just like Ali. As was Dormouse. They were all so dear to him….

Hatta sat thinking of all these things as he sipped his tea, leaning on his hand.

It was then that HE appeared, the one that Hatta hated.

"What do you want?" He growled as Cheshire took the seat next to him.

"Now, now, Mad, I am only hear to talk, so let's be civil to one another."

"Talk about what?" Hatta snapped ignoring Cheshire's request to be civil.

"Ali. She's been under a lot of stress lately; don't do anything to put her under any more." Cheshire told him, examining his claws.

"She hasn't got much sleep lately, for starters. She's had lotsa work to do, and problems with her family and, I think, relationship problems. You expressing your undying love for her didn't really help matters. She's confused, and now she feels bad for not visiting you. Don't do things like that. Not that I'm much better, but….you're worse."

Hatta looked at him in silence, hating him, but listening to him nonetheless.

"I…made her feel bad?" Hatta whispered, staring into his tea.

Cheshire shook his head, "No, not really. Really, she does that to herself, but you're helping her along and she doesn't need that."

"I never....meant to hurt her. I-"

"No one ever said that you did. And she doesn't blame you, or me-she blames herself, not that that's any better, but don't you go feeling guilty about it. I'm only warning you to not do things like that. She's a bit fragile at the moment, so leave her alone when it comes to matters of the heart. Ya hear?" Cheshire said, his gaze intense.

Mutely, Hatta nodded, forgetting who he was talking to for a moment.

"Good, just remember all of it." Cheshire told him, reassured that Hatta had listened. Then he grinned, "I would love to stay and chat, but I'm sure I have better things to do, even if I don't know what they are at the moment. So, good bye."

He vanished, with out leaving a piece of himself behind for once.

Not long after, Hare returned, wearing something even more horrible then the purple night gown. A neon green suit with pink pinstripes.

Hatta couldn't help but shudder.

Ali was with Caterpillar again, not because she wanted to talk, but rather because she didn't, but didn't want to be alone at the moment.

"They've both said it, Caterpillar, they've both said it and I think they both mean it, and I care about them both and I don't think that I can take kind of thing right now and…." She said finally, trailing off.

"Why did this have to get so complicated?" She groaned, burying her face in her hands.

"Most things worth anything are often complicated." Caterpillar said, a strange smirk on her lips as she blew a smoke ring that drifted in the air in a shape suspiciously reminiscently of a heart.

"Good things are rarely simple, and simple things are rarely good. The best things are complicated."

Ali was silent, thinking about what Caterpillar had just said.

"Then love must just be one of those complicated things."

"Oooh, Ali, you look soooo pretty!" Hare squealed, turning to look as Ali walked into the garden.

Hatta glanced up from trying to drown Dormouse in tea, and stared.

She looked beautiful. The gothic Lolita outfit that made her look so innocent, and so devious, at the same time.

He stopped pouring tea on Dormouse and stood up, nervously checking to make sure his hat was on straight.

Hare bounced over to Ali, talking so fast that no one could understand her properly-not that it mattered, she never expected any one to answer-and dragged her friend over to the table.

"Ali….you look….gorgeous." He breathed, resisting the urge to take her in his arms and hold her. He remembered what Cheshire had told him, and what Ali had said herself earlier that morning.

"Thanks." She whispered, blushing.

"Did you have to go see the Queen?" Hare asked, plopping down in a chair.

"Yeah."

"Hey Ali, guess what?" Hatta asked quite suddenly, propping his elbows on the table.

"What?"

He and Hare looked at each other and grinned.

"MERRY UNBIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

She laughed as cake appeared out of nowhere over the table, splattering icing as it fell and landed.

It was a few hours later, and Hare was so cracked out on sugar that she did little else then stare at the tree branches above her in a sugar haze.

"Is she going to be okay?" Ali asked, looking at Hare worriedly.

"She'll be fine. She just had too much sugar." Hatta said, only glancing at Hare, who only waved her arms in circles.

"Way too much sugar." Ali sighed and shook her head.

Hatta only smiled at her, "More cake?"


End file.
